Medicament applicator



se tls, 1931.

J. B. DAVIES MEDICAMENT APPLI CA'IOB Filed July 23 INVENTOR wn-uzssss WM5 0 M Patented Sept. 8, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN B. DAVIES, OF GRAFTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO MINE SAFETY AP-PLIANCES COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN-SYLVAN IA MEDICAMENT APPLICATOR Application filed July 23, 1929. SerialNo. 380,437.

This invention relates to medicament applicators. I

Although in first aid treatments it is often desirable to use a liquidapplication, for example in treating burns, the prevailing field andemergency practice has been to use ointments, salves and like semisolidmedicaments. Such materials, being stiff, must be rubbed over theinjured surfaces, causing increased pain as well as irritation of thealready inflamed tissues, and increasing the danger of infection. Also,in subsequent inspection and treatment, these materials are less readilyremoved than are liquid medicaments.

The object of this invention is to provide a medicament applicator whichis particularly adapted for use with fluent medicaments, is simple andsturdy, may be easily and cheaply produced, which is quickly andreadily'prepared for use, whose use requires no skill, and which keepsthe medicament sterile until needed.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, of which Fig.1 is a central sectional View of the preferred form of applicator; Figs.2 and 3 similar views showing a manner in which the applicator of Fig. 1may be made; Fig. 4 a similar view showing the applicator of Fig. 1being prepared for use; and Fig. 5 a perspective view showing the mannerof using the applicator of Fig. 1.

In accordance with this invention there is provided an applicatorcomprising a casing which is impervious to liquid, and a containerdisposed in the casing supplied with and permeable by a medicament influent form. The container is adapted to retain its content of fluentmedicament until it is desired to apply it to a body surface to betreated, but to gradually release themedicament upon mere contact of thecontainer with that surface. In this manner, the body surface maybetreated without rubbing or friction.

As shown in the drawings, the applicator comprises a container 1supplied with medicament and disposed within a casing 2 which isimpervious to liquid and which in the form shown consists of a jar. openat one end. The container is formed from a material, such as textilefabric, permeable by medicaments in fluent form. That is, the applicatoris of such nature that the medicament will not run, or flow, through thematerial, but may seep or ooze. through, as when placed in contact witha body surface. In this embodiment the container is removed from thecasing for application of its contents to the surface to be treated.

The medicaments particularly contemplatedby the invention are liquids ofsuch viscosity that they will not flow through the container by gravity,but will ooze or run onto the surface to be treated. Althoughmedicaments possessing this property are known,

others which it may be desirable to use, but which are normally solidsor liquids having a viscosity comparable to that, of water, may beprepared for use by compounding them with suitable bases in accordancewith standard pharmaceutical practice. For example, emulsions oroleaginous preparations may be used. In the preferred embodiment,however, water soluble jellies prepared by addition of medicament toaqueous solutions of may, for ease of description and reference in gumsare used. Jellies of this nature are the claims, be termed fluent. Whenusing such materials, the container is preferably formed from hospitalgauze, although by suitable selection of weave and texture, the fabricmay be adapted to suit the properties of more or less liquidmedicaments.

In the construction of this embodiment it is preferred to shape thecontainer into a saclclike member 3, Fig. 2, which is positioned incasing 1 with its bottom resting 011 the container bottom. As thuspositioned, a supply of medicament 4 is introduced into the sack throughits open projecting mouth, and the mouth is then gathered and closed,for example by a draw string, or by a cord 5, Fig. 3. All of thesematerials are, of course, sterilized before use.

As thus assembled, the applicator is sealed to maintain its contentssterile, and this may be accomplished by a closure cap 6 applied to theopen end of the casing, or the casing may be scaled by pouring anormally solid sealing medium onto the surface of the container adjacentthe open end of the casing. For example, molten parafline may be pouredin an amount sufficient to form a moderately thick layer 7 in the top ofthe casing. In the form shown, both means are preferably used. The useof a sealing medium also reinforces the upper portion of the container,rendering easier its subsequent removal and use.

In the use of this form of applicator, closure cap 6 is removed, andcord 5, which projects above the sealing medium is grasped in thefingers. Upon applying slight tension, the applicator with its adherentlayer of sealing medium are withdrawn bodily from the con tainer, andthe upper, reinforced end of the applicator may then be grasped forapplication to a body surface in the manner shown in Fig. 5.

The invention also provides means for easy withdrawal of the containerfrom the casing. To this end, cord 5 is made of substantial length,several inches for example, and the free ends are connected to the cap.This may be accomplished in the manner shown in Fig. l, in which the endof the cord is shown attached to a flexible disc 8 of paper or othermaterial engaged by cap 6. In assembling the applicator, the cord iscoiled in the top of the container and the disc is forced into theclosure cap. As shown in Fig. 4, the subsequent removal of the capautomatically draws out the cord, and the disc may then be detached fromthe cap, and the container withdrawn as before. By using a paraffined.disc, the use of a sealing gasket in the closure cap may be dispensedwith.

The applicators provided by this invention are peculiarly adapted foruse in burn treatment, because they are suited for frictionless andsubstantially pressureless application of fluent medicaments, providingmore satisfactory emergency treatment than has prevailed. Nevertheless,the invention is in its broader aspects capable of use with other formsof medicaments. For example, salves, greases and the like which can beapplied readily or which melt and flow at body temper-ature may be usedin the container, such compositions being well known.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained theprinciple and operation of my invention, and have illustra-ted anddescribed what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However,I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appendedclaims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specificallyillustrated and described.

I claim:

1. A first aid medicament applicator comprising a casing open at one endand impervious to liquid, a fabric sack supplied with and permeable byafluent medicament removably disposed in the casing, a draw memberclosing the mouth of said sack, a cap removably closing the open end ofsaid casing, and a disc in said cap connected to said draw member,removal. of said cap extending the draw member for withdrawal of saidsack, application of the medicament to a body surface being effected bymere contact of said sack with said surface.

2. A first aid medicament applicator comprising a casing open at one endand imper- "ious to liquid, a closure cap therefor, a fabric sacksupplied with and permeable by a fluent medicament removably disposed insaid casing with the mouth of the sack ad jacent the open end of thecasing, the mouth of said sack being gathered and tied by a cord, anormally solid sealing medium c0vering the exposed end of said sack, anda disc connected to said cord removably carried by said closure, saidcord being with drawn from the casing upon removal of said cap andserving for removal of said sack, and application of the medicament to abody surface being effected by mere contact. of the sack with saidsurface.

3. A first aid medicament applicator comprising a liquid-imperviouscasing open at one end, a sack-like container supplied with andpermeable by a fluent medicament re m'ovably disposed in said casing, aremovable closure associated with the open end of the casing andconnected to said container, said container being wholly removable fromthe casing by removal of said closure for application of its containedmedicament to a body surface, and said application being effected bymere contact of the container with said surface.

4. In a first aid medicament applicator, the combination of a fluentmedicament in the form of a water jelly, a sack-like container enclosingand permeable by said medica ment, a protective casing open at one endHill enclosing said container, a rigid member removably closing the openend of said container, and a cord closing the open end of said sack-likecontainer and connecting it with said member, said member serving towithdraw the container from the casing and to act as a handle for theapplicator when withdrawn, application of the medicament to a bodysurface being effected by mere contact of the container therewith.

In testimony whereof, I sign my name. JOHN B. DAVIES.

